About Sandhills Heritage Gateway

One of the most beloved traditions of the South is storytelling, and the Sandhills region — falling on the transition line between the Coastal Plain and Piedmont — is blessed with some of the richest and most diverse natural and cultural histories around the world.

The Sandhills Heritage Gateway provides visitors and locals alike with an opportunity to experience firsthand the distinctive aspects of this area: to stand next to a sacred Creek Indian burial site, to feel warm peach juice dribble down the chin, to witness where the rolling hills of the Piedmont give way to the land of the longleaf pine, to catch a glimpse of rarities such as the Sandhills lily, the red-cockaded woodpecker, even a black bear!

For generations, agriculture and tourism have been two cornerstones of this region’s culture and economy. As other sectors of the economy have diminished, today the value of working forests and productive farmland has never been greater to our families and communities.

The Sandhills Area Land Trust recognizes the potential for food, forestry, trade, and heritage tourism opportunities along these corridors. It is our goal to help landowners and small business owners expand the network of adjacent working farms and forests to generate jobs and revenue.

By taking such a unique approach to conservation and land use planning, this project not only preserves the collective wealth of stories about our history, culture and land, but will leave our byway communities well positioned to meet the increasing demand for water, clean air, open space, and recreation opportunities as our area experiences dramatic population growth in the near future.